biolizard

I did suffer from post transplant depression, and I am still suffering from it on and off. And I do think a botched or a poorly planned transplant is worse than being bald. I think for a lot of people (including me) losing hair causes insecurities, and make them feel like an outsider while all their peers are enjoying their hair. Imagine how you'd feel if you end up with a bad result...

 

But even if you end up with a very good result I think it is still possible to feel insecure about yourself, wondering every time if anyone can see your transplant, and worrying that you are still losing hair.

 

I can only advise you to think it through rigorously, do extensive research on transplants in general and the doctors you are considering.

 

Once read that a person should only do a hair transplant if he can conduct Q&A sessions about it, and retrospectively I think that is best advice anyone could give.

This has been an emotional and spirited thread. We indeed need MORE patients with the courage to step forward and publicize their results even and especially the bad ones. This thread really speaks to me. I too am currently in the thick of a mild/moderate case of post HT FUE depression. I'm now 2 1/2 months out of my FUE. Thus far I've not experienced a single positive result from my fateful and regretful decision to proceed with the FUE HT.

I too was not given a proper evaluation. No exam, no density check, no information about a 'post hair transplant regimen'. Not single discussion about Propecia or potential side effects, I didn't even find out about propecia in detail until AFTER the HT and I looked into on my own. The reality was It was more like, a credit card swipe, a quick signature of a single paper replete with legal mumbo jumbo and fine print, a quick free hand hair line drawn on and then we were under way.

I'll be detailing my experience including links to videos and pic at a later date. I really want to want until the results have had more time to mature before I let out the details of my experience.

Unfortunately I lack the writing skill to accurately articulate just how much my self image has been damaged or how much dejection I now feel since the HT. But let me say that I am indeed embarrassed about how naive I was and the fact that I allowed this to be done to myself when I was so woefully uninformed. It is my fault, I know that, but the Doctor is also culpable as well. I didn't realize the magnitude of what I was entering into only until after the fact. I was insecure, going through a mid life crisis, and made an impetuous and rash decision to just jump in and 'get my hair back' with this fantastic new innovation known as an FUE. If only I had known then what I know now.

It was presented to me as a simple relocation of hairs with an extremely small state of the art 'new' technological breakthrough that allows for very small punches machine and back to work in less than 3 days type of procedure. Looking back, what a load of BS. 3 days back to work my ass! You need weeks off after having this done. It was very uncomfortable and disfiguring.

Anymore, I'm not even really concerned about recipient hair growth or future hair loss and this time( I'm not taking Fin/propecia due to concerns over sides). I simply want my freaking recipient area skin to not look like a burn victim.....Scarred, red, discolored, bumpy cobblestone texture, hard cyst, acne, numb, ect..... It's a mess right now!

I just want the skin normalize. I have this conspicuous weird looking red line across my forehead demarcating the zone between normal scalp and marred recipient area. It's not cool and I despise that most of all!

So far my decision to follow through with the HT has only been a negative presence in my life. I am so self conscious (10x more now than prior to the HT). I won't leave the or go anywhere or do anything if I can't wear a ball cap. I don't want to be seen without a hat. I've cancelled numerous social invitations and engagements since the HT. I'm pretty much a hermit now, a social outcast.

The FUE and HT industry as a whole needs to take a good hard look at itself and the way even these 'coalition' or 'recommend' Doctors are conducting their business. Either leaving patients uniformed or worse yet misinformed. It should be the doctors ethical duty to diligently screen and weed out all unsuitable candidates. knowing what I know now, I realize the doctor likely should've stepped in and saved me from myself, I was not a good candidate for this FUE. My density was borderline too low, hair too fine, and I was profoundly misinformed (thanks to the Internet) and undereducated as to the seriousness what I was getting into and exactly how this was about to modify and negatively impact my life I was grossly ill-prepared!

So far I stand by my original position since the very first week after my HT, that is that this FUE has been a terrible mistake. One in which I regret and regretted everyday since.

Maybe I will grow to tolerate this HT FUE, I doubt I will ever grow to like it, but acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness of myself for what I have done is now my goal. Honestly, as of now on this day, I would give DOUBLE the money if only I could undo everything.

To the OP I hope you heal up ok in the long run, and just know that their are others out there who can empathize with what you are going through!

Free free to PM me OP if you need to ever just talk or get anything of your chest. I am indeed a sympathetic ear.

biolizard - is this picture you have in your album (which I posted here) current? I see absolutely nothing out of the ordinary whatsoever. I can post a pic of my procedure at five weeks if it gives you a comparison- man, looking back, I was UGLY at five weeks. Trust me, unless I'm missing something here, you look 100% normal at this stage.

That is indeed a most recent pic. It is comforting to hear that nothing seems awry with it in your opinion. I'm just kind of in a somewhat depressive, slight obsessive, very reclusive, borderline freak out mode over this HT. I tell myself to chill and relax, but with my type A personality that's not easy to do.

Thank you for your reply.

This is not before his hair transplant, he got his HT in the 90's this picture is recent. He had three hair transplants, do you see his scalp discolored? Do you see his scalp looks weird? I don't think so, like I said it's not visible shaven to the bone.

 

Here's a video of him discussing it see his head is shaved

 

Some great info in this thread. What Joe Rogan said to himself after his HT really resonates with me cause I felt nearly the same way deep down after my HT..........."Christ what the heck did I just do to myself"

However, I closely watched the YouTube video of Sam B buzzing then shaving down his head after his FUE, Personally I think that he looks AWESOME buzzed down after the FUE. Much better than before his HT 2 years prior. Yes, if you look at it and scrutinize it you can see he had some work done, but truthfully the FUE gave him that all important frontal hairline back! This makes the buzz down (no guard) cut look so much better. As far as the other imperfections, I think that a little touch up with some SMP and he would be looking sharp.

Depending on how my HT progresses or fails to progress, it does give me optimism to know that I may be able to buzz it down or shave it and still have it look semi decent. A little SMP if needed to touch it up and I will be just fine I'm thinking. It's good to know there is at least somewhat of a viable 'out' or exit strategy from this 2000 FUE I had 6 weeks ago should things go wrong with the HT.

5 weeks is waayyyyyy to early to make judgements, no body with any ethics would agree to remove the grafts or perform laser removal, if after 12 months you're not happy, you can always have the grafts removed. I recommend not going to this site for at least 6 months and refraining from looking up HT horror stories, it's got you freaking out, it's quite common with any form of cosmetic surgery.

This is so true and likely very good advice for me at the moment. I find myself constantly checking the mirror over and over throughout the day. This really has been more mentally taxing than I ever would've thought. The emotional toll and body image issues are really disconcerting to put it mildly.

My plan is to give this thing 12-18 months and then decide what to do about it. I hope I can manage 12-18 months? I may need freaking antidepressants before its all over with.

Luckily in my line of work wearing a hat is an option. So that at least makes work less awkward. However, now a days I pretty much just work and then hermit myself away from society avoiding as many social encounters as I can.

On the plus side I've gotten improved at video games, piano, and guitar,now that I'm officially a pariah and a recluse.

Lol.

Me too!

I'm over 5 weeks into this thing and I can't leave the house without a hat yet.

My recipient area looks HORRIBLE!

It's pink/red/purple discoloration, if that wasn't bad enough it also looks like the surface of Mars...it has a bumpy scarred 'cobblestone' texture to it that make this recipient area stick out like a sore thumb.

I too have entirely secluded myself form all outside social situations since this mistake of a HT I made.

Honestly I'd like to know the best way to undo this FUE and my recipient area scalp back to as normal as possible.

It doesn't offer me much promise to hear you are 3 months into your FUE and still having recipient area problems.

I'm 5 weeks postop. 43 years old. NW 3 with a 2000 graft FUE.

My recipient area is very pink/red discolored, and has a noticeable 'cobblestone' bumpy scar texture that I hate. It doesn't look like smooth normal skin. The density is not good and hairs are very thin. This whole thing just screams unnatural. Perhaps I'm a slow healer, but this doesn't look like it will ever return to normal IMO.

In all honesty rushed into this HT too hastily. I'm chalking it up to a impetuous mid life crisis decision. I'm already having significant buyers remorse only 5 weeks in. But I'm not really wanting to turn this into a 'regretting my HT' thread.

Just simply would like to know my options to undo this FUE ......IF within 12-18 months I'm still not happy with it. Right now it's honestly hard to envision my ever becoming satisfied with this.

Laser removal?

Electrolysis?

fraxel

Vbeam

Laser therapy scalp treatments

Other things to smooth out the bumpy scarred recipient area.

Another FUE extraction of recipient hairs.

TLDR: Regretting my HT only 5 weeks in, what are my options to undo this mistake I made if I continue to remain dissatisfied with the HT?

Biolizard, it's too bad that you had side effects, but it is sad you want to ruin it for others.

 

 

Misery loves company.

Whats truly "sad" is that you somehow equate being properly informed of the side effects of a particular medication as 'trying to ruin it for everyone".

At this point I'm almost convinced that you must be trolling. I just can't imagine any rational person NOT wanting to be aware of potential side effects of a medication they are considering taking. Any future post from you saying ridiculous things like how I'm 'ruining it for everyone' or 'making it all about myself' will be ignored by me.

Good day. ✌️

I'm dying to know how everything turned out for BummedinCA??

Please come back and update.

Wow KO such a hostile tone detected.

Not sure exactly what I said in my response to the OP to warrant an attack from you. Perhaps we nearly disagree on Fin?

But you unfairly distorted my position in my response.

Exactly where did I state or even insinuate it was 'all about me'?

Matter a fact I very explicitly stated that each person is free to use their own judgment and make the choice that's right for them.

The only thing I would hope for is that one become adequately informed of the risk of Fin prior to taking it.

Most of my post is dedicated to exposing the potential side effects and hopefully serving as a launching point for others to do their own investigation into the dangers of Fin.

If someone takes Fin and isn't having problems and getting great results, that's super, I am sincerely happy for that person. However, the OP said he was experiencing depression since taking Fin. My response wasn't 'all about me' as you mistakenly gathered from my post.. Quite the contrary., it is about encouraging someone to seek help if needed and prevent depression from destroying a life.

Yes and be Bald and look old

I would prefer "bald and old" to dead!

Severe depression and mental confusion/fogginess are well documented side effects of Fin, even suicides have been attributed to this drug.

Its serious, potentially life threatening and nothing to be flippant about IMO.

If you are experiencing side effects then you should discontinue use of Fin.

If you continue to experience depression after discontinuing the drug, seek professional qualified medical help.

The bad thing with Fin is that on occasion serious side effects persist LONG after cessation of the drug.

The endocrine hormone ecosystem within some peoples bodies can be very fragile, disrupt that balance with Fin, and unfortunately there are those individuals that are unable to recover and irreparable damage is done!

This goes by the name of Post Finasteride Syndrome (PFS), a real and potentially devastating consequence of taking Fin.

For more info on that check out the help website for PFS sufferers

At Propeciahelp.com and read for yourself the heartbreaking stories and accounts from those who have had their otherwise productive lives obliterated by this drug.

Also, with Fin if you have to quit the drug for any reason you lose all the hair you would've lost anyway, just as if you never took the drug in the first place. It's a LIFELONG commitment! Additionally, Fin does not work to maintain hair for everyone. It's only effective in hair lose prevention in some individuals. Believe it or not, there are indeed those people who take Fin, develop the side effects and lose hair anyway. How bad that would suck, I can't even imagine.

Even at a 5-10% chance (possibly more like 10-20% from some sources) of serious long lasting side effects, it's not worth it for me. Losing hair is undoubtably a traumatic and shattering event in a persons life, no argue with that, but the serious side effects from Fin are worse...... WAY worse. Do you really want to be playing Russian Roulette with the odds when things like permanent impotence, lose of interest in the opposite sex, diminished libido, severe depression, profound mental haziness, and CANCER are at stake?!?!?!? Yes, Fin even carries a rare, but very real risk of life threatening male breast cancer with it.

No I'm not a fan of Fin. But each person has to make their own judgements about what risks are acceptable to them. I just think that the many are misinformed and ignorant to the potential severity and permanence of Fin's side effects.

To me, the risk outweigh the benefits. But obviously others are free to make that choice for themselves.

I also recognize that some fortunate people are able to take Fin without issue, and have amazing nearly miraculous results by using Fin; however, many are not, and there are those reports VERY unlucky people developing seemingly irreversible side effects such as impotence from Fin.

Stop the "poison" .... I mean Fin immediately!

+Sam23

I like the way you have outlined and articulated our options. I wish I would've gone through that process before leaping head first into this god awful HT.

I've been researching my options too. Since it's becoming increasingly apparent that I'm likely going to remain dissatisfied and regretful of this HT FUE. It's only getting worse, not better.

I too am starting to consider options like shaving down, and laser hair removal of the transplanted FUE hairs.

So far everything about this HT screams unnatural. My hair line is unfamiliar and too low. The grafted hairs are VERY thin, and the one that left have a 'pluggy' look, the recipient area is very discolored (pinkish/purple'ish) , also the skin or scalp of the recipient area has a very bumpy 'cobblestone' texture......all of this very noticeable and very unattractive and creates massive insecurity issues with my self confidence.

At this point I just want off the 'hair' ride. I seriously would pay double the price if only I could have this HT undone and go back to the way I looked before this HT.

Ironically I use to look at people with full heads of hair and think to myself how lucky they are, NOW .......after this poor HT decision I made, I frequently find myself staring enviously at people who made the decision to embrace and accept their baldness with dignity. They chose to keep the natural balding pattern and just go with a close cut. That my friend, is what I wish everyday I would've done!!

In a year or 2 once this FUE has fully ran its course, and done all its going to. I'm going to look into just removing the FUE grafts however possible, whether by laser or have them extract the grafts like they did from the donor area but maybe this time just discarding them? Not sure if that would be an option? Not sure what I'm going to have to do, but something will need to be done to return me to my pre-HT self as best as possible.

I only had 2000 grafts so hopefully my donor area won't appear too scarred or thin after I buzz down my hair. I only pray that my FUE scalp recipient area heals up enough that the bumpy texture and pink discoloration is minimal, so when I laser out or otherwise remove those FUE grafts the skin won't be too scarred and noticeable?

I may need some type of therapy or antidepressant medication before this is over. Such a mistake. Ugh. Just wish I could forgive myself and move on. But that's easier said than done for me.

Sam23 thank you agiain for sharing your story, it ALWAYS helps to know that there are others out there who can relate to what you are going through.

Good luck stay in touch with me and let me know how things are going and how things are turning out for you. Best of luck to you my friend.

I regret the hell out mine. I would pay DOUBLE the price if I ONLY could undo the colossal mistake I made in getting a hair transplant!!!!

JUST TRUST ME.... Don't do it and you will thank me later. Do what I WISH I would've done, just embrace and accept your natural aging process and poise with dignity.

Having a HT was THE SINGLE most regretful decision and arguably the worst mistake I've ever made. Please learn from my mistake. Do not risk disfiguring yourself.

This is the same of my story i will take this chance to write my story here

 

i jumped quickly to HT and i was naive not well educated, being fooly astonished with remarkable results ignoring the disadvantage and the risks, i believed that it is so simple and it would be like a dentist visit and the clinics will easy convince you with that i wanna told you about the offer that i have received from my clinic that it will give you the impression that they are the best of the best, they told me :

 

" we have the best advanced technology and technique and the best ISHRS surgents in the whole region, it is not a surgery it is just a simple procedure without any pain, we will bring your hair and hairline to your life again with the best natural results, our technique is so unique will allow 50% to 30% of your hair to regrow again in your donor area, we are using the smallest punches ever made 0.9 to 0.5 we will not leave you after HT and will follow up with you for a whole year we will treat your native hair with best products and growth factors, stem cells, prp injection you will not suffer from lossing hair anymore and your Transplant hair would be permenant and we will give you a guarantee for that if your hair transplant is not grow by 95% we will correct it freely and even give your money back " you will see their place so crowded with people already did their HT, they would tell you that they have customers from everywhere and you would be lucky if you can book your procedure within 2 months". So you find yourself after all of that wow what i was doing i should did this from ages, hell yaa i will do it now, it seems the science has been advanced and everyone doing it now this is will work out especially after the briliant results that they show me, if the celebrities are doing it and they should have a fear for their appearance more than the normal people then this is safe, it will work definetly and if it is not then i will only loose my money, i will be bald again so no problem at the end it is just a hair and you can manage it somehow anything on my head would be better than baldness it is worth a shot espically i m 30 and not married i might enjoy my hair for more 10 years.

 

Then after my HT i started reading extensively at my recovery time about HT and i know now that the HT should be planned very well and the baldness should be stabilized first and you should be under meds espically fin, i read that the hair transplant is not scarless and you will end up with serious scars even if it is fue and if you shave you will have white dots and your receipient area might have some scars also, nothing guaranteed, the permenant hair promise it become a bless in the first couple of years but also it is a curse in the future as you cannot get rid of your transplant hair so if you have bad results or you continue loosing hair which the most likey for majority of people, it would appear so odd, so you want to shave it then the scars will chase you there is no way to run you are stucked and all you can do just wish that the surgent really was a good one and he was not sleepy when he did the surgery

 

then the depression start, before HT i was looking to the mirror one or two time in a day and say to myself ohh i become so bald i should do something, then after that i forget the idea the whole day. Now after HT and because i live alone away from my country i became so depressed looking to the mirror every hour i became paranoid skeptical and i start ruin my life and my work, just reading reading about HT as a hopeless way to find an exit from what i did i m thinking too much now knowing i m fighting a loosing battle and i cannot escape from it i brought this to my life and i have to live with it all my life, my hair in donor area now is sooooo thin i do not know if this a shock loss or it just ruined and will not be back normal, all i wish now if i can shave my head without maps on my scalp and visible scars.

 

Now if you asked me about Fin and its risks, i would say i already ruin somthing in my body definetly i will not gamble and ruin somthing else even if it will give me a full head of hair in return of 1% chance of risking my sexual life, this med you have to take it for a long long period nobody will know the effect in long term. This is a hermone level that you play with, there will be consequences no matter what if it is not now it would be in the future. For me i will use minoxidil, nizoral, pantogar, natural dht blocker like saw palmeto, biotin, put a shower filter with vitamen C and also i still have the gorwth factor and stem cell injection also i have an appointment with a new clinic so famous in europ espesialized in hair loss and have products customized for each case they will examin you each month and adjust the product to suit your baldness pattern, they claimed they already cure more than 50 thousands and start spreading around the world. I will try to give an update about that after i test it. So these my weapons for my hair fight but i will not use nuclear weapons to win a battle and loose the whole life

Thank you for sharing your story. It's a story I can very much relate with and empathize with.

I feel the same way. I had SO much a similar experience as you, that as I'm reading your post I found myself nodding my head in agreement frequently.

They definitely didn't give me an accurate description of what the reality of the HT FUE was.

They told and sold me things like, it's just a simple procedure, we just simply use very small punches to relocate some hair to the frontal balding areas, it's so simple you could even go back to work the next day!

What a giant crock of BS! I nearly got reprimanded at work for having to call in sick, because NO FREAKING WAY I could've gone back to work. I looked like an alien straight out of Star Trek with my head and face swollen so badly my eyes were nearly swollen completely shut. It was misery. This was my first clue and indication that I might be in trouble and they were obviously not totally honest and up front with me about the realistic expectations following the FUE. My recipient area is still a ugly very noticeable reddish purple discoloration. Also you can see the recipient area has a bumpy, not smooth, scared acne look to it. its been just over a month since the FUE and I sure hope the recipient area heals better than this cause it looks AWFUL right now. It's embarrassingly bad at the moment.

I also share your feeling and sentiment about Fin, that is I've already boogered and messed up one part of my body,now I'm VERY extra cautious and hesitant to incur any more risk and risk something like permanent impotence, further exacerbation of depression, now. I already feel a little burned after this HT, I just can't bring myself to risk messing myself up anymore. Essentially compounding one problem by adding risk of more serious problems.

What was advertised to me as a simple easy 'procedure' has turned out to be THE MOST monumental decision I've ever made. I foolishly rushed into this HT, and as a result I'm suffering some. Suffering from body image issues and now I'm WAY MORE self conscious and embarrassed of my hair after the HT than I was before. Its as if having a failed HT or a mediocre and 'noticeable' HT carries more embarrassment and stigma than just accepting your baldness with dignity. I'll have to wait at least a year before adjudicating my final judgement. But right now, today, it feels like I've made a huge mistake.

It does help me to come to these forums and find others who have similar issues. Helps me to type, talk about it, get it off my chest. I need to work on forgiving myself for this mistake I made, it's a difficult thing for someone with my personality to do. I'm having trouble with this forgiveness of my mistake. Every time I walk past a mirror I become angry with myself all over again. That process repeats many many times a day.

This is when I genuinely wouldn't get on it. As we age, Testosterone decreases. Introducing something which is going to further eradicate male androgens at an age where they are already declining seems like a recipe for disaster. Slowly receding hair line and some thinning is nothing tragic, why not try a few lifestyle changes & natural things and see if it slows down or stops first? I disagree with the "JUMP ON FIN ASAP OR ELSE" approaches on this forum, especially where it concerns non aggressive MPB

I agree with this. I'm 43, had a HT FUE to patch up the frontal areas of my male pattern baldness. I'm now using Ketoconazale shampoo and Rogaine to help slow native hair loss.

I wouldn't take Fin.

One could argue that if I wasn't going to take to Fin then I shouldn't have had the HT. That's a valid argument and one which the HT surgeon should've taken more time to explain that with me. But what's done is done. Looking back I was grossly uninformed and jumped into this HT too quick. So if anyone says, don't have a HT unless you are willing to take Fin, that's something that individual needs to decide BEFORE having a HT. My surgeon should've had these discussions with me prior to doing this HT. instead I feel in my case, most things were downplayed as 'no big deal'. Which is not the case at all. Having a HT is a much bigger deal than I was lead to believe. I was naive, I was an easy mark. I just wanted to patch up some of the hair loss and get a little youth back. Did I make a mistake. Maybe? Time will have to pass before I can judge that. But I do feel the surgeon was more interested in just doing the surgery, collecting his money, rather than taking time with me to make sure I was good candidate and addressing all the future implications of a HT that I'm now finding out AFTER THE FACT. But you can only blame someone else so much, i do have to blame myself for my impetuous mid-life crisis decision. However also I do feel more should've been done to save me from myself and my naiveness, instead I feel I was not given full disclosure to what I was entering into. Don't make my same mistake. I have A LOT to say about this, but I am pressed for time at the moment so I can't say everything I would like on this topic.

Bottom line is I'll hopefully get some good years from the HT FUE, but as native hair loss progress which, even if you take Fin its NO GUARANTEE that you won't continue to lose hair. There are those that take Fin, develop severe long lasting side effects AND continue to lose hair.in my particularl case I will have to address this HT down the road at some point I'm sure. Nothing I can do now, but wait and hope. So far I'm only a month out of my HT and not very pleased, but from what I read I'm still very much in thick of the ugly duckling phase. I wear hats EVERYWHERE now. I'm more self conscious now than before the HT. do I regret the HT, at this time, yes I do. But I may grow to like it in time. Idk.

No disrespect biolizard but Ive been on Propecia for over 10 years without one single side effect you mentioned.

 

Ive never heard of anyone doing this successfully. I'm not sure it will as simple as you might think... or even possible. You could potentially have little scar marks in the recipient area that would not look natural. Im not 100% on this but did you ask a good doctor about this idea?

 

Anyway back to the OP. Sure, it's your body. If you dont feel like trying Fin then dont, but I would strongly suggest you do not get a HT at this point. If you are 30 and heading for a NW5 you might end up regretting the decision. Just sayin.

Hair Loss Help Forums - My reversal with Dr Bisanga BHR clinic

Hair transplant reversals are indeed possible. Here is the photos of someone who has had one done. Also things like electrolysis and laser hair removal can assist in returning oneself back to a more 'natural' hair loss pattern should one desire that in the future. It's not always perfect, pitting and pigmentation problems seem like they could cause issues with that. But it's still better than PFS, permanent impotence from Fin.

I refuse to take Fin. That's my choice. Anyone else that chooses to and has no side effects that's great for them. But I personally would MUCH rather look into either adjusting a hair transplant or even reversing a hair transplant a decade or more down the road if needed; rather than take a chance at the irreversible sexual side effects, depression, mental fog ect associated with Post Finasteride Syndrome or PFS (fin/ propecia.) I would be self conscious, but ultimately, I can live with an awkward hair transplant, however, not so sure I'd want to live (or if I would ever forgive myself) if I was essentially chemically castrated forever flaccid by Fin. Those risk are unacceptable to me.

Don't take my word for it. Go to Propeciahelp.com and read for yourself.

Do NOT take fin!

I don't care what anyone tells you here on the forums. That drugs has the potential to utterly destroy your life.

Here is what I'm doing. I'm 43. NW 3

Just had a 2000 FUE One month ago.

I'm going to use Rogaine foam, Ketoconazole shampoo, biotin supplement.s and let the chips (hairs) fall were they may.

Hopefully I can Squeeze as much life as I can out of my hair. If /when the native hair thins too much and the HT starts looking bad, I'm simply going to have ONE more procedure to reverse the FUE. Looking this time to the FUE recipient hairs and relocate them back into the donor areas from which they came.

the I'm DONE with hair. I'm out of the 'hair' game after that.

In my opinion I will have done everything within a reasonable acceptable limits of what I'm willing to undertake to preserve and maintain hair. I'm hoping to get maybe 10-15 years out of my FUE HT, before things start looking 'awkward', then I have to look into getting the reversal.

But definitely, Propecia/ fin can give you LIFELONG IRREVERSIBLE IMPOTENCE!! Is freaking hair worth rolling the dice on that shit!!!! Not in my book it's not.

Not to mention Fin can cause mental confusion and every carries with it a risk of male Breast CANCER!! The side effects are report in around 2-10%. Some people that were very unlucky with Fin and got severe irreparable side effects have even been driven into profound crippling depressions, resulting in career loss, divorce, and even SUICIDE!! It destroyed there otherwise productive and happy life. A s little as one single dose has been report to cause PFS!! So don't even try for ANY period of time. Not even once.

Hair loss sucks! I know! I've lost a good deal of mine. Buts be VERY cautious what risk you enter into on your quest for hair.

Definitely read this gentlemens opinion on HT first:

This was copied from another post on another thread about buyers remorse and hair transplant regrets. It's worth reading:

"This topic really speaks to me having gone through a similar process. I'm not bald by any means yet but I have entered into an accelerated stage of hair loss recently. Even prior to my current dilemma I've had a lot of time to reflect and think about hair, HTs and why I had this done to myself.

I can't really blame the OP for being angry with himself, although I now understand that everyone makes mistakes and you shouldn't beat yourself up over it. Still it is a decision that I've struggled with every day since my fateful decision.

My story begins at a diffuse NW2-2a and foolishly rushing into an HT. My goals were far too lofty and I was in over my head. Looking back, my doctor surely knew my state of mind and didn't protect me from myself. While you can only blame someone else so much I find that part the most despicable.

I researched and made my decision within a month. That was my huge mistake.

With all the hindsight I have now, here's an exhaustive list of things I wish I had done:

- initial HT consultation with at least 2 coalition doctors

- try the big 3 meds first for at least 6 months; pay attention to side effects

- continue researching HT procedures, techniques, results and doctors for 12-18 months

- understand location and cost should not be constraints

- measure donor & recipient density/hair bulk, loss pattern

- consult with dermatologist for any possible reactions

- understand the procedure end to end including surgical process, expectations, common side effects in the skin, healing and care

- consult with psychologist (no joke) to understand if I would be able to handle the change

- consult with coalition HT doctor again and draft a master plan

- see a HT result in person, performed by different doctors; all pictures can lie; lighting and angles deceive

- Look for pictures and posts of good AND bad HTs

- Know your options for HT repair

- shave head and keep it that way for at least 1-2 months, see if you like it

- read bald guys forums for support and tips to maintain a buzzed dome

- After 12-18 months, if ready, try HT and be as conservative as possible

I actually had a pretty good head of hair when I started (still decent) but here's my story -

I had an uneven hairline with a raised side only which was really the only concern. I didn't really know I was balding in a diffuse pattern. I had the FUE HT without being on meds and had shockloss. Went on fin and it helped keep the crown full, side effects faded in a few months but the hairline continued to shed. Flaky scalp ensued (and persists to this day). 1 year post-op I tried kirkland minox 5% and used it for 2 years, things seemed to be on the up and up, however it is likely that I just slowly thinned uniformly to match the hairline and having a short buzz on the sides helped create an illusion of fullness. My loss has picked up in the last 8 months and I don't think I'm going to make it out of this year without the HT standing out on its own.

It has only been 3.5 years since the HT but that time has been littered with obsessiveness, self consciousness, spectrophobia, anxiety and most of all - regret and disappointment. In that entire time I've only had a fleeting 6-8 months where I felt 'normal'.

Being super picky about hair, I honestly feel that HTs are probably not truly viable for many if not most candidates in terms of being natural looking. This is just my own opinion but I personally wouldn't recommend a HT at all save for a few situations:

- no balding; filling in temples or rough patch

- older (40ish); family history of loss is documented; hair loss has been stable for a long time

- fantastic responder to meds in addition to strong characteristics from point 2 and a master plan good psych health and with money to spare

Even happy patients with sparsely laid HTs are probably just fooling themselves about their hair.

I understand that the last statement in particular sounds really jaded and that's because I am, even with a good and relatively even amount of hair on my head.

I would say I'm fairly lucky as I've shaved down to a 0 in the donor and didn't mind the FUE pock marks too much. It is almost invisible at a 1 guard. Still I'm a concerned about my recipient zone due to scaly, flaky skin, and larger follicles in the grafts but I think it should be manageable if I buzz down with some laser treatment and electrolysis to get rid of the hairs; possibly fraxel or vbeam to smooth the skin. This is going to take time, money and head/heartache.

While I know there is more to life than hair, I'm having a lot of trouble looking past it as it has been a strong defining characteristic for so long. My vanity led to my undoing and in the end I've learned that I had my priorities in the wrong places.

I hope the OP is doing well and keeping his spirits up. I mostly just wanted to say that I understand what you are going through and I hope you end up luckier than me - stable and with a good result. If anything at least you can grow facial hair unlike me, hah!

The industry definitely needs to be more honest and upfront about the process and results. I hope this post finds people debating on getting a HT and at least have them reconsider once more. I'm not saying there can't be good results and I'm not saying that every doctor is crooked, but I think the realities of HTs are not exactly what the photos would have you believe.

Be cautious - I wouldn't wish my worst enemy to go through what I did"

I had a 2000 graft FUE and not a day goes by that I don't increasingly regret having this HT. It was an impetuous foolish 'mid-life' crisis mistake. I'm so angry and disappointment with myself for going through with it and having myself disfigured with a HT. I should have just accepted the natural aging process with dignity. Now I look like a freak, I'm 10 times more self conscious of my appearance than I ever was prior to the HT. having to explain your strange hairline and haircut appearance to people is embarrassing. If I could undo this and go back to my NW 2-3 I would. This is worse. WAY worse. Learn from my mistake. I'm borderline depressed and reclusive now, on most nights voluntarily opting for solitary confinement rather than having to go out into the world and face people.

It was dreadful. But honestly 3 months of suffering are worth it, if you get amazing new hair as a reward.

 

I only needed to get my hairline fixed but unfortunately the clinic shaved off all my existing hair so I could not cover the recipient site with my fringe. So I ended up with a red, sometimes almost purple Batman logo right above my hairline. Sexy AF. I was always thought my hair was growing too fast but during this period it took like forever to get decent length to cover the recipient.

 

I have to dress businessy at work so a hat inside the office looked awkward. I could not say I had a HT. A few people in the office are bald and if you get an HT even though you not bald it's sending a political message to the people who control your pay...

 

I built my own flesh toned head band with double sided tape that would loose sit on my forehead without even touching the grafts - but blocking views of them! Explanation: sports injury. People were still annoying constantly asking how it was healing and if they can take a peek. IMO rude AF... They should really get on with their lives... After 3 months when I took it off (as my fringe was long enough) they were almost disappointed there were no visible scars. It told them that's because I strictly stuck to my docs orders and allowed 3 months for the injury to heal.

 

I tried make up.. Mineral powder but it did not work. Aloe vera didn't work either. It dried up too quickly and left gunk on my scalp.

 

I really wish clinics would force you to shave it all off, would spare you a lot of agony.

 

Other than the redness there was no issue with the OP for me. Luckily no shock for me. Just a shocking temporary Batman logo tattoo above the hairline.

So .... Exactly how long does it take for that VERY noticeable and odd looking purple discoloration to fade in the recipient area? I have that exact same problem. I'm relegated to permanent caps for the time being. I'm going on 3 weeks out post op from a 2000 graft FUE. If not for that awful and very obvious purple discoloration of the entire recipient scalp area, it might not be so conspicuous as to what I had done. Im try to be discrete and not tell people. Now, I'm ready for that to go away, but it doesn't appear as if it's going to fade anytime soon. Looks like it's here to stay a while. Are we talking months and months?

I m in the same boat, i had an HT recently and i m now regretting doing this, even i did fue also and the most advance technique either with decent surgent , but still scared, now all what i m asking if anything goes wrong in the future whether the results was bad or the i loose more native hair, i just want to be able to shave my head (receipient area shave by blade abd donor area at 1) i just wanna look normal again or at least there is a way to remove the transplant hair and become bald again, when i asked these questions i could not have a streight answer or found a picture to shaved head from front, this gives me feeling that i m stucked now and i will be presion to my HT

 

I m so depress now and i will not recommend HT to anyone

I would not recommend at HT at this point to anyone either. If I could undo what was done, go back to my older more natural looking hairline, and get a full refund I absolutely would in a heartbeat. Also, the hairline looks very different for me, Im having much trouble getting use to it, cause I've never had a rounded hairline like that at anytime in my life. So to me it doesn't look like "me". It's a strange feeling walking past a mirror. I'll pass final judgment in another year or so following my HT. as I'm just over 2 weeks out. I'm now more self conscious and embarrassed of my hair than ever.

It's my own fault for jumping into this to hastily. I'm chalking it up to a midlife crisis. Hindsight is always 20/20 and now looking back I can clearly see my expectations were likely not realistic, and my knowledge of post transplant hair care was very very lacking. Now after educating my further, I can clearly see the mistakes I likely made. Now I'm stuck. Stuck a weird place. So now what am I going to look like as I continue to lose native hair. I will look SO BIZZARE!! I've take a situation in which I was indeed self conscious about my appearance, and in 5-10 years time, likely made it 10 times worse.

I've even considered the possibility electrolysis of the implanted hairs as a future option to undo parts of the HT if needed. But that will be more money and further trips to a doctor. I still can helping feeling that I should've just left well enough alone.

But I jumped in, I booked the date, and gave my down payment very quickly. After they required a 10% down payment I just convinced myself to go through with it no matter what and to suppress and ignore the doubts I was having (after all I didn't want to forfeit my down payment). I was just too naive to know what I was getting into. I just thought it would help me look at little more youthful if I got a little of my hair back. Looking back I wish I would've just cancelled the surgery, forfeited the down payment, shaved or buzzed down my head to a close cut, and accepted the natural aging process with dignity. That's what I SHOULD have done.

And because I refuse to take Finasteride, my future happiness with my HT is very much in jeopardy. I'm going to have some very difficult decision on what to do with myself in 5-10 years as my native hair loss continues. Im not sure what the heck I'm going to do? but now I've forced myself into a position in which I may need even more HT. To be honest, as the days press on from my HT I grow increasingly more regretful of my decision to jump into a HT. It seriously may become the most expensive, biggest mistake of my life!!

So I have my HT scheduled (I'm going to a world renowned Dr) and I guess I've been reading so many bad reviews about HT's and the fact that I'm 44 and a NW5 scares me. I read this below and I guess this is my biggest fear...Any thoughts?

 

" Also after 5 or 10 years if your baldness progress to become norwood 6 or7 and your donor area is already depleted, can you still shave your receipient and donor area ? or at least can you wear what is left very short (assuming the operations was FUE with small punches 0.9 to 0.5 mm)"

 

Am I just being paranoid, is this doubt normal??

I just had my FUE and I'll be very honest. I'm having some pangs of buyers remorse. I'm only 2 weeks out from my 2000 graft FUE, from what I can tell the surgeon did a good enough job, however , I will have to wait and see for 1-2 more years to know for sure.

I probably should've spent more time researching things BEFORE I let them start permanently altering my hairline. After researching Finasteride more in depth, I've now concluded that the potential side effects are UNACCEPATABLE for me to consider taking this drug. Before my HT, I just thought 'yea, sure I'll take it, whatever it takes to get some hair'.....

But now I'm honestly scared shitless of that little pill and the devasting capability it has to bring into unsuspecting, well meaning, people's lives.

So since I'm not willing to take Finasteride, I'm thinking I probably should NOT have done the HT. But I won't know for sure until after the fact.

If I get decent looking hair for another decade of my life because of the FUE, then HELL yes, I'll have considered it worth it!!!! But it won't know until after the fact. Same goes for you.

I'm 43 with NW 2/3 receding hairline, hair loss has been slow but steady for more than 2 decades now.

I just recently had a 2000 graft FUE in order to AVOID having to take Fenasteride. I may do one more HT FUE in a decade to fill in if needed but that's it for me. NO PROPECIA! NO FENASTERIDE! Beyond that, I'll just clip down the hair super short and rock and roll with the Bruse Willis Andre Aggassi look if needed.

For now I plan on a post op regimen to compliment my FUE of:

-Ketoconazole shampoo

- Rogaine foam

- biotin

Perhaps I should not have done the FUE if I wasn't willing to take finasteride? That's a valid argument and one I should've probably mulled over for a much longer time. But impetuously I saw and opportunity to grab a little youth back and in hindsight I likely decided too hastily to jump into a HT. Im chalking it up to a mid-life crisis is my excuse. However, it's too late now to go back and undo the HT. If I loss too much hair I'll deal with that when it happens. But I may get a full decade out of the FUE? Idk? I may severely regret ever having the HT done in 3-5 years? Idk? Too early at this stage to make those kid of predictions.

But .... One thing I know for sure....... whether I have hair or not, I have a wife that loves and cares for me; AND since I'm NOT taking Finasteride little sparky will be happy and plugging away for many more years! With or without hair I will still be getting sex, and my Jimmy will remain in tip top functioning working order.

Hair loss is undeniably bad, yes, but the side effects of finasteride are utterly annilating and completely destroy and CRUSH happy marriages and wreak havoc on otherwise productive and happy lives. Is hair worth rolling the dice on that too? I'm already taking a gamble that the HT turns out good. I'm only willing to risk so much for hair.

Go to Propeciahelp.com forums and Read for yourself the accounts of people's lives who were irrevocably trashed because of the Fenasteride side effects, then decide for yourself.... Is it worth it?

I'd love to hear more from others with personal experience on with this.

I'm a 43 year old NW 2/3 ......2 weeks out from a FUE. Wondering what type of postop regimen I should follow. I realize that there is nothing more effective than Propecia/fin astride currently on the market for maintaining and even regrowing hair. However, the side effects scare the crap out of me. What I find most bothersome is the fact that the side effects can persist for a long time after discontinuation of the drug; and in some cases have shown to be permanent! With a 2-10% side effect rate, that's something that's not to be downplayed. Reading some accounts of those who has been irreversibly maimed by this drug, it's absolutely devasting and utterly destroyed these people's lives. Scary stuff.

I mean, I'm happily married (my wife would love me even if I was bald); however, introducing the possibility of ED and all the emotional bagging that that brings with it into my marriage could have very deleterious effects to my happy marriage.

That said, I of course paid a boat load of money for my FUE. It is surgery, and surgery is painful and carries its own set of risk, the recovery process is not 'fun' by any stretch of the imagination. So obviously I would want to do what I can within reason to maintain the hair I have so I don't have to have another FUE for a very long time.

I was going to just try :

Ketoconazole shampoo

Rogaine Foam

Maybe a supplement

And see how my hair loss progress?

But idk? With how effective Propecia in treating andrgenetic allopecia it's kind of hard to say I'm not willing to try it.

Any advice would really be helpful for me as well.????

I can vouch for the veracity of his experience with Dr Vories as I had a very similar experience as well. Overall pleased with my FUE experience.

However I will have to wait and see as the months pass by, to see how my actual results turn out?? I've been taking pics shooting videos and may do a YouTube video which I may link here.??

My one suggestion would be that I would have preferred they strongly recommended at least a full week off from work following this; not merely just a few days. (Ideally I now think you should get 2 weeks off if possible.). Being back to work after just a fews days was not at all feasible in my particular case. I had profound facial swelling and significant donor site pain from around day 3 until days 6/7. All within the normal postop boundaries following an FUE. It was my mistake to try and rush back to work so soon. Having to call in sick to work as a result nearly got me reprimanded. So I would highly encourage anyone to get as many days as possible away from work following these procedures. But that goes for all FUE procedures everywhere. I do realize a nice 'selling point' of the FUE is that it's less invasive, thus has a reputation of having a much more friendly recovery period. But ...... it's still surgery, and in my opinion you should do yourself a favor and not try to rush back to work in just 3-4 days.